A Bit of Lace
by The-Sapphire-Phoenix
Summary: Van Helsing and Carl go dress shopping. Then Carl gets into a fight with some bunnies. Then we learn where the hat came from. And that Frankie can make soup. And Carl and Velkan get wasted.
1. Chapter 1

**A Bit of Lace**

"Gabriel, tell me again _why_ we're going to a dress shop?" Carl asked as he stumbled along behind the tall, broad-shouldered man whose confident strides carried him faster and farther than the monk's shuffling steps. "I don't claim to be much of a man, but still, it would be nice to keep my dignity."

Gabriel Van Helsing's tight mouth turned upward at the corners into a soft smile. He chuckled a little, shifting the crossbow that rested on his shoulder. "Dignity has nothing to do with this, my friend. And even if it did, the result will be far worth the loss of a little...manhood."

Carl huffed, his breath forming a white cloud in front of his face in the chilly mountain air. "Well, I for one don't have much manhood to lose. You can afford it."

Van Helsing laughed his thick laugh and continued forward. The two men cut their way through the center of the small Romanian town, passing the villagers as they clutched shawls and parkas closer to them to ward off the light snow falling from the grey sky. Carl and Van Helsing made their way to a small wooden shop over which hung a weatherbeaten sign that read "Marta's Fine Dresses." The taller man ducked into the shop, Carl at his heels.

"Is it really necessary to carry that _thing_ around with you all the time?" Carl asked, gesturing to the crossbow before they entered. "For God's sake, we're going to a dress shop, not a vampire convention."

Van Helsing stopped in his tracks and turned around. "This _thing_ is our one little bit of assurance that we won't get killed. So if you would like to leave out all sources of protection, then certainly I can leave it behind next time. I mean, it's not like we're traveling through an area heavily populated by vampires, werewolves and all other manner of supernatural creatures," he said with a cheery smile.

"Be that way," Carl replied with a slight pout as his companion turned again to step inside the shop.

The pair had just crossed the threshold when a withered old woman swept out from behind a row of rolls of cloth and material, her shawl swirling. "Ah, hello my fine young boys!" she rasped in excitement, her face breaking into a snaggle-toothed grin, "Here to buy yourselves fine dresses for the lord's ball later this month?"

Van Helsing gave an almost unnoticeable half smile. "We didn't have the pleasure of being invited. We're here for something else."

"Blue - no, green is your color, dearie," the woman said, disregarding his comment and standing on tiptoe to examine his eyes. She turned to Carl and wrinkled her nose. "Best stick to brown, ducky."

Van Helsing held up his hands to ward off another examination. "Ma'am, we're just here to buy a dress. For someone else!" he hastily added, realizing what he had said. "We need a dress for my wife."

The woman grinned even wider. "Ah, of course!" she said, holding up a knobby, knowing finger, "I should have known a strapping young boy like you had a sweet little fancy to go home to. Now what size is she?"

_Whoops_, Van Helsing thought. "I don't know...a small?"

"Measurements, boy! Measurements, measurements, measurements!" the old woman cawed, waving around a measuring tape. "How do you expect me to make your lass a dress what fits if I don't have her measurements?!"

Van Helsing thought, picturing his dear Anna. "She's about...this tall," he said, indicating the height with his right hand, "She's got a waist maybe...that big. Shoulders...around that size."

The woman scribbled down the approximates and then looked up at him. "Bust size?" she prompted.

"What?" Van Helsing asked, his voice catching a little.

"Bust size. I need to know how small or large to cut the bodice."

Van Helsing and Carl looked frantically at each other. "I-I don't know...Carl, you tell her."

"How do you expect ME to know?" Carl said, not wanting to get into it.

Unable to work around the situation, Van Helsing estimated, wrinkling his nose in slight embarrassment as he held his hands in front of him. "Maybe...to here...?"

The woman chuckled and wrote it down. "Any special requests?"

Van Helsing sighed. The worst was over. "Just one. I would like a bit of lace on the bodice. She deserves lace."

The woman smiled. "The dress will be ready by next week. Thank you boys, and come back to see me soon!"

Author's Note - written for a Van Helsing writing prompty contest we have going on in the Van Helsing RPG forum. This is what might have happened at some point if Anna hadn't died.


	2. Chapter 2

**Carl and the Rabbits**

If there was one thing Carl was proud of in this world, it was his garden. He always had the ripest tomatoes, the sweetest corn, the best carrots. He had won the best garden award four years running, and it was a title he humbly but nonetheless proudly bore. Until one day...

"Hello, my sweets!" Carl called cheerily to his vegetables as he made his way out to the garden one midsummer's day, "Glad to see me? I knew you would be. Now let's see how you all are doing." He wandered between rows of cabbages, potatoes, and radishes, checking each one to see how they were doing. Finally, he arrived at the tomatoes - his best and favorite of his plants. "My beauties," he sighed, "How are you doing?" He bent to examine the round red fruit, checking each swelling one. "Oh? What's this?" he said, noticing that one of the lower tomatoes had a bit taken out of it. Certainly it couldn't be crows - he hadn't seen a crow in his garden in years. But what could it be? There were no mole tunnels, no mouse or rat nests.

"That is quite strange," Carl sighed, hands on his hips. "I guess I'll stake out tonight and see if I can see our little intruders."

Once the sun had started to go down, Carl went back outside and hid in a crop of bushes just outside his house. Crouching low so as not to scare away whatever it was that would be coming to eat his tomatoes, he peered between the branches and waited. Within minutes, he saw movement from the bushes past the other side of the garden. Carl gasped eagerly. This was it. And then he saw what it was - a pair of rabbits hopped out from the bush, right towards his tomato plants.

"Come on," he sighed in annoyance. "Why did it have to be bunnies?" He couldn't kill bunnies. They were...bunnies! They were too cute, too innocent to be squashed. But his tomatoes! He couldn't just let them eat his tomatoes...

"Alright. I know what I'll do...I'll take my best four plants and put them in pots. Then I'll bring them inside to the sunny spot in the corner...they'll be safe there. Alright. Go ahead, little bunnies! You can take those ones. Consider it my gift to you," Carl said cheerily. He went back inside the house, planning to dig up the plants the next day.

When the sun rose the next morning, Carl was up and ready to go. He went out to his toolshed, grabbed his shovel, and set out for the garden. When he got there, his smile turned into a look of astonishment. All the tomatoes were gone. He dropped the shovel in shock and just stood for a moment, gaping at the bare plants. "Damned rabbits! Ungrateful little rodents!" he cursed at the bushes. "That's the last time I ever share anything with you decievers!!" With that, he stomped back inside.

Meanwhile, the rabbits hiding in the bushes sniggered. "That'll teach_ him_ to give us crappy tomatoes."


	3. Chapter 3

**Finding the Hat**

Van Helsing was walking around

When he saw a hat on the ground

His head was quite cold

And though it looked old

He stuck with the hat he had found.

(author's note - this may very well be edited...i was bored and didn't want to write a whole long explanation about the hat, but if i get motivated i will.)


	4. Chapter 4

**Making Soup**

"The boys should be home soon," Frankenstein commented as he strode into the kitchens of the Van Helsing manor. Anna, the lady of the house, turned around and crossed her arms.

"I'm sure they'll be expecting some sort of food. Men usually do that sort of thing," she sighed, looking around the kitchen. "Of course, what could we make that they would like?"

Frankenstein thought, studying the various foods and spices scattered around the scullery. "Well, we could always do something simple, like soup."

"Soup?" Anna said doubtfully. "You think three hungry men are going to want _soup_?"

The other smiled mischievously. "They clearly haven't had _my_ soup then."

Anna paused, hands on her hips. "Okay. What do we need?"

Frankenstein wandered around the pantry, looking for various ingredients. "Well, we'll need some potatoes, a few peppers, maybe a couple of carrots...Do you think they like carrots?"

Anna rolled her eyes. "I don't think they'll care."

The man disregarded her comment and continued his search. "Let me think...do you have any venison? An onion or two...maybe some scallions..." he muttered to himself as he loaded his arms with different ingredients. Soon, he could carry no more, and the pair retired to the kitchen.

"Alright," Frankenstein instructed, "Grab the biggest pot you have and fill it with water about three-quarters of the way. I'll get the spices."

Anna raised an eyebrow at him. "Shouldn't you be the one getting the water in the 'biggest pot we have?' You're the stronger of us."

Frankenstein thought for a minute. "Fine. Just make sure you get paprika, rosemary, oregano, and sage while I'm gone. I shouldn't be too long," he said, picking up the pot and heading out to the well.

Anna scoured the pantry while he was absent looking for the spices he had named. She had just finished getting them all together when he returned with a pot full of water.

"Could you please start the fire so we can get this water boiling?" Frankenstein grunted under the weight of the pot.

Anna nodded and soon, a large fire was burning and the water was heating up. Frankenstein led her to the counter, where he laid out the meat and vegetables. "Okay. So now we've got to chop this all up and get it in there. Dice the potatoes and I'll handle the meat," he explained. Within minutes, and along with Frankenstein's careful instructions, the pot was simmering and a thick, pleasant smell was wafting through the house. The pair was just cleaning up the kitchen and laying out the table when there came the sound of voices and feet at the door.

"Quick - in the dining hall!" Frankenstein whispered excitedly at Anna, and they rushed in to await the arrival of the men.

"You almost had him, Carl, honestly. You were really close!" Van Helsing's voice echoed encouragingly through the entrance hall.

Carl's voice protested. "Well, I wasn't close enough. I might as well give up hunting. I'm more of a stay-at-home man anyway."

Velkan's voice let out a kindhearted laugh. "Well if you don't try again, you'll never be any good."

"Do you smell that?" Van Helsing commented.

The footsteps stopped, replaced with the sound of sniffing. "Smell what?" Carl asked.

"I smell it," Velkan replied, "It's coming from in here..." The three men walked through the great hall into the main dining hall, where they were greeted by Anna, Frankenstein, and a steaming pot of soup.

Van Helsing strode quickly over to investigate the contents of the pot, and swooped up Anna in his arms. "You've outdone yourself, my mistress!" he laughed playfully, kissing her and then setting her back down.

Anna blushed. "It wasn't me...it was Frankenstein."

Carl, Velkan, and Van Helsing turned to look at their friend in surprise. Frankenstein blushed deeply. "Who wants soup?"

note- this takes place in a perfect world where anna and velkan are still around.

obviously.


	5. Chapter 5

**Carl, Velkan, and the Green Fairy**

One day the prince had nothing left to do

So he asked Carl if he would go to town

And see about a tavern that was new

To find out if their ale was just as brown

The pair set off towards the little inn

But on the way they came across a pit

Where crates of liquor filled it to the brim

And the prince knew the jackpot they had hit

When Velkan saw a bottle that was green,

A label with the letters "ABISINTHE"

Prince Velkan took a swig and then between

The two in minutes drank the whole of it

The pair was hammered till the break of dawn

When Anna found them lying on the lawn...


	6. Chapter 6

**Talking**

"Oh. Frankenstein," Velkan said as he walked out onto the grounds of the Van Helsing manor, startled by the sight of his friend already laying on the cool grass. "I wasn't expecting you to be here."

Frankenstein made to get up. "Would you prefer I left you to yourself, Prince Velkan?"

Velkan thought for a moment with a sigh. "No. No, you're alright. I need someone to talk to anyway." He got down on the ground, laying back with his hands behind his head. He looked up at the velvety sky adorned with thousands of rhinestone stars.

"Is everything alright, sir?" Frankenstein asked in concern, his brow furrowed as he looked at the young man.

Velkan sighed. "Yes. Well...I'm fine. Just a lot on my mind right now. And enough of this 'sir.' I'm not a 'sir' by any means."

Frankenstein laid back again and folded his hands on his chest. "May I ask what is troubling you?" he inquired.

"There's just..." Velkan sighed again, this time a little more tiredly as he turned his head to look at Frankenstein. "Please don't feel offended if it seems I'm talking a lot. I have quite a load."

Frankenstein nodded, gesturing for his companion to continue. Velkan turned to look back skywards and thought for a moment. "Where to start...Frankenstein, have you ever thought of love?"

The other opened his eyes a little wider in surprise. He smiled. "That's a different one. Well...yes, I suppose. Sometimes. Why?"

"Well...My sister has Van Helsing, Carl has...oh, I forget her name, but...I just can't help but wonder if there's maybe someone out there for me."

Frankenstein smiled. "Lad, you have NOTHING to worry about. Now me, I'm the one who we should worry a little about. I mean, look at me. How many women do you think are falling at MY feet?"

Velkan looked at him a little sadly. "Even you must have someone. Just think of it - there must be someone created for each of us. It's just a matter of whether or not we find them. Whether or not we open our eyes enough to see them."

Frankenstein gave a light laugh. "Velkan, trust me. Any woman in Romania would be proud to call herself yours. Why not go into town tomorrow, just to...you know, take a look?"

Velkan thought about it. "Maybe. Yes, that could probably work." He smiled. "Thank you, friend."

They lay in silence for a moment, watching the sky. Then Frankenstein continued. "What else is there? What else is bothering you?"

Velkan thought for a second, a little melancholy. "Frankenstein, what about death? Do you ever have any thoughts about that?"

Frankenstein shrugged. "For me, it's a daily thing. I must face the fact that I was brought back from death, the product of death, and that the first thing I knew in my life was the death of my father. It's a painful thing, but it must be faced."

Velkan turned and smiled weakly at his friend. "It's hard, the death of a family member, especially a father. Did you know yours well?"

"No, not especially. Within the hour of my creation, Dracula had killed him."

The prince sighed, looking back upwards sadly. "I didn't know mine too well either. He was always very busy trying to put our family curse to rest, trying to get rid of Dracula...he was out of the house all too often. My mother died when we were young, so Anna and I got along on our own once we were old enough."

"It's hard, not having a father, isn't it?" Frankenstein said, a hint of sadness or regret in his voice.

Velkan smiled weakly. "Not as hard as other things, but yes. It is one of the harder things."

The pair fell into silence for one last time, and then Frankenstein propped himself up into a sitting position. "Well, I'm off to bed. You should think about heading in soon too, Master Velkan. You're going to need your rest for tomorrow's hunt."

Velkan sat up, a curious expression on his handsome face. "What hunt?"

"Why, your girl hunt, of course!"


End file.
